There is no escaping the fact that fouling is going to take place on the heat transfer surfaces of refrigeration machines. Scale, corrosion products, algae, silt, sludge, and petroleum products adhere to heat transfer surfaces, gradually building up and leading to a loss of gradual cooling capacity. Even refrigeration machines that harness sophisticated water treatment chemicals and control systems suffer the same fate.

“Plant personnel fail to realize that when their heat exchangers foul, it results in lower performance, higher energy costs and added maintenance,” said John Gesser, a consulting sales engineer at AC Supply.